4/30/2012

It is currently 50°F, with winds out of the SSE at 5 mph, 83% humidity, and clear skies in Eau Claire, WI. I keep hearing that this week should be very active for weather with unstable conditions present for the majority of the week. The warmer weather and humid air can turn some of these storms into big thunderstorms otherwise we can expect to see some off and on showers. The forecast calls for some precipitation every day this week, so don't expect to see a whole lot of sun either.  

4/29/2012

The current conditions for Eau Claire, WI are: temperature at 45°, wind from the ESE at 5 mph, humidity at 76%, and light rain. We should bust out of this cold slump after tonight and expect temperatures back in the 60s and mid to upper 70s later this week! With warmer weather comes increasing probability of thunderstorms which is awesome. There is a nice line of showers stretching from IL down to western OK. There is more curvature in the jet stream today then there has been in awhile.
 

4/28/2012

The current conditions in Eau Claire, WI: temperature at 49°F, winds from the ESE at 7 mph, cloudy skies, and humidity at 48%. Pretty lame conditions in the area tonight with cooler temps to boot. However, that should change after the weekend when the temp will climb into the 60s and then into the 70s. We should expect to see some active weather next week with multiple chances of rain mid-week. Not much else happening around the country in terms of major storms.

4/27/2012

It is currently 51°F with winds out of the ESE at 10 mph and humidity at 29% in Eau Claire, WI. Temperatures remained cool today but the skies cleared which allowed direct sunlight through but winds were blowing fairly strong. High pressure continues to dominate the region as a low pressure system moves through to the south of our area. No precipitation is expected in our area other than a few sprinkles because the dry air will mute any precipitation. We can expect a high around 53 tomorrow with partly cloudy skies. The jet stream is still fairly flat but a slight trough is allowing cool air to descend into the region.
 

4/26/2012

It is currently 37°F with no wind, humidity at 67%, and clear skies in Eau Claire, WI as a high pressure system bringing cooler air from Canada settles into the region. A frost advisory is out for Eau Claire County as well as neighboring counties which is bad news for fruit farmers whose trees have probably already started to bud. Showers are likely south of the region but dry air will dominate our area. Temperatures should gradually climb into the 60s over the weekend and into the 70s by early next week! The jet stream is pretty meridional for the most part which means there is no major troughs or ridges. We are in a weak trough which is enough for cold air from the continental polar to descend on us.
 

4/25/2012

In Eau Claire, WI the current temperature is 48°F with humidity at 86%, wind calm at 0 mph, and clear skies. The low pressure system sparked some showers early this morning but has since moved past. A cold front will soon be passing through bringing with it cooler temperatures and drier air. A few storms will pass to the south but the dry air will prevail in our area.
 

4/24/2012

Right now the temperature in Eau Claire, WI is 64°F with winds out of the WSW at 6 mph and humidity at 27%. The clouds are starting to dissipate and allowing the sun to shine brightly through. A low pressure system will makes its way through tomorrow which will cause some rainshowers and possible thunderstorms. The barometric pressure is trending downward which is saying that a low pressure system is working its way through. There is a deep trough in the jet stream from the Great Lakes down to the top of FL bringing with it cooler conditions and was the reason the NE received recent snow.
 

4/24/2012

Today was probably the best day weather wise that we have had in awhile. Temperatures got up into the lower 60s and the wind died down for most of the day. We are still in a ridge of high pressure although tomorrow will bring some milder temperatures. A low pressure system developing in the West will move into the region tomorrow night which brings the next chance of precipitation. The green circles on the weather map indicate fog and areas with abundant moisture.

4/22/2012

Happy Earth Day folks! For the most part, the weekend weather was pretty gloomy but that is about to change as a high pressure system settles in which will clear the skies and push the temperatures into the 60s where they will remain for the rest of the week. It is currently 50°F with winds out of the north at 7 mph. The skies are partially cloudy with humidity at 58%. The Northeast is getting hammered right now by a massive storm cell caused by a midlatitude cyclone. The moisture from the ocean is fueling these storms as a warm front and cold front collide. It is dying out down by Virginia where it has become an occluded front but remains strong to the north.

 

4/21/2012

Today really never quite warmed up as it was looking like it would at noon today. However, the temperatures stayed in the lower 50s while the wind picked up as well in the afternoon preceding the rain showers that we are getting currently. Right now the temperature is 50°F with winds out of the SSE at 8 mph and cloudy skies. It looks like we might get a little more rain through the overnight as a low pressure system in SE WI flows our way. A high pressure ridge is expected to build up overnight which will bring clear skies tomorrow with temperatures warming to the upper 50s.

4/19/2012

Today was noticeably colder due mostly in part to continuous cloud cover and also the precipitation we received in the morning and also the later part of the afternoon. It is still raining out but not as hard as it was as the system has moved eastward. Any precipitation we get tonight could turn to snow as temperatures dip into the 30's. It is currently 39°F with cloudy skies, humidity at 93%, and wind from the NNE at 3 mph. Conditions should improve tomorrow as a small ridge of high pressure builds over the area which will clear the skies up and also bring the temperatures up. The infrared satellite on the left shows cloud cover which corresponds greatly with the low pressure systems interacting with cold fronts around the U.S. which are producing precipitation.

 

4/18/2012

The warm weather was back today but only temporarily as there will be a big change in the temperature tomorrow. A system from the Great Plains is heading our way which means a good chance of a light rain and also much cooler temps. It is currently 50°F with winds out of the north at 10 mph and gusting to 18 mph. The skies are clear and the humidity is at 63%. Notice the midlatitude cyclone that is currently centered on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This passed through the area earlier which is why we had such strong winds and cloud cover all day. There is quite a bit of rain down the center of U.S. and the system in the Great Plains will move into the area by the morning.

4/17/2012

A high pressure system brought a pleasant day to the region with temperatures climbing into the upper 50's and winds dying down to 3 mph. It is currently 52°F with winds picking up out of the SE at 10 mph and humidity at 52% with cloudy skies. We might see some storms in the area tonight and into tomorrow as some mixing air masses will cause precipitation. It will likely be warmer tomorrow then cool off on Thursday, then warm back up into the 60's the rest of the week. As noted in the image below of the current conditions, a warm front is moving northward and bringing precipitation as it runs into cooler air.

4/16/2012

Well we got the snow they were talking about for today. None of it accumulated but it was flying around nonetheless. It was quite the change from a 75° temperature the day before to the current temperature of 37°. The wind died down today and also switched directions as it is now blowing from the NW at 7 mph. The skies are still cloudy and humidity is at 67%. There is a weak high pressure ridge moving through which should get us a glimpse of the sun tomorrow and better temperatures at least. More showers are on the way for Tuesday so we shall see what happens the next few days.  

 

4/15/2012

There is currently a tornado watch in the area for the next hour tonight as the system passes through. As noted yesterday, warm,moist, and unstable air in the region is fueling this large storm which could produce some very serious weather i.e. hail or damaging winds. It is currently 57°F with winds out of the WSW at 20 mph but gusting up to 47 mph! The rain is coming down pretty heavy as well right now. Tomorrow could bring a wintry mix as a cold front passes through, dropping the temperature, and possibly turning the precipitation into snow. It will be a wild 24 hours to say the least. Check the wind map link below to see the major low pressure system eye of this system.
 
 
http://hint.fm/wind/index.html

4/14/2012

We may be on the eve of some very strong and severe storms as a strong low pressure system pushes through the Great Plains into the region. In addition, southerly winds will push warm, humid air into the system and basically provide the fuel for the storm. We might see strong winds, hail, and heavy rainfall overnight. During the afternoon on Sunday, a cold front will spur some more strong storm conditions along the front as the two fronts collide. The image on the lower left shows current conditions while the image to the right shows a prediction map indicating areas susceptible to thunderstorms and heavy rain.
 

4/12/2012

Not much has happened in the area the past few days but that is about to change. Starting tomorrow, with our first shot at rain, a few low pressure systems will move through the area, causing storm cells to pop up along its path. There is a big low pressure system forming in the West which is slowly making its way into our area. We are not expected  to get much rain on Friday because of all the dry air hanging around. Once that is saturated though, expect some more severe storms. The severe weather will probably hang towards the south more which could include hail, strong winds, and possibly tornadoes.
 

4/11/2012

We continue to reside in a high pressure area which led to a really nice day outside with wind finally dying down and the skies clearing to allow the sun to shine at full strength. The barometric pressure is holding steady around 30 inches. It is currently 40°F, no wind, clear skies, and humidity at 53%. Expect similar conditions tomorrow but by Friday rain should enter the picture. There are multiple chances at rain starting this weekend and continuing into next week. Keep an eye on the systems in the West/Southwest as they will make their way towards the Great Lakes.

4/10/2012

The weather continues to be dominated by a high pressure system. The temperature should climb back into a "normal" range the next few days. It is currently 31°F with winds out of the NNW at 6 mph., clear skies, and humidity at 53%. A low pressure system which is developing in the Southwest will travel across the Great Lakes the next few days which will bring some unstable atmospheric conditions which means we should get some much needed rain here in Wisconsin. Nothing too exciting is currently happening around the rest of the country.

4/9/2012

It didn't take too long after the sun went down for temperatures to drop to much colder than what the area has experienced lately. It is currently 31°F with winds out of the NNW at 6 mph. Skies are partly cloudy with humidity sitting at 58%. We can expect cooler temps the next few days as a high pressure system from Canada descends upon us which will bring the cold air down with it. There is another shot at rain towards the weekend when temperatures should crawl back into the 60's.

4/8/2102

All things considered, it was a pretty decent day weatherwise for Easter. The clouds started to break up but the wind stuck around all day and made the temperature feel cooler than what it really was. It is currently 52°F with winds out of the west at 7 mph. This is a drastic change from the 40 mph winds we experienced throughout the day. Winds will die down overnight but will pick back up in the morning, skies will clear, and temperatures could reach the critical freezing point tonight as well. We might not even see 50° the next two days which could really suck.

4/7/2012

Today brought some much needed precipitation to the area as the cold front moved through and caused some nice rain clouds to form. Right now the temperature is 47°F with winds from the WSW at 6 mph and humidity at 97%. Drier air will move through the area and the skies will clear up overnight whereas the wind will switch over to the west and gain strength over Easter Sunday. Winds will remain strong until Tuesday when they should finally subside to a calmer condition. Expect cloudy skies tomorrow with gusts up to 25 mph and possible precipitation.

4/5/2012

The current conditions in Eau Claire, WI are: Temperature at 37°, winds from the north at 5 mph, 72% humidity, and clear skies. Expect the same conditions as this high pressure system from Canada moves through the area and over the Great Lakes. After that passes, a cold front will move in which will limit the chance of precipitation as more dry air moves through. So, expect the early part of next week to be cooler and enjoy the clear skies and mild temperatures this weekend!

4/4/2012

Today was a pristine spring day with skies clearing as the barometric pressure rose as a high pressure system went through the area. Temperatures reached the mid 60s and the wind was blowing around 7 mph from the NNE. It is currently 50°F with relative humidity at 33% and winds still from the NNE at 9 mph. It looks like the rest of the week will be dominated by high pressure which means clear skies and favorable conditions. The next best chance for rain will be on Saturday.

Wind Map

http://hint.fm/wind/index.html
This is a really cool interactive wind map of the United States.

4/3/2012

Our area was lucky enough to get some precipitation last night accompanied by thunder, lightning, and what sounded like hail slamming against my house. I'm not sure the exact amount of precipitation but probably less than half an inch. The temperature warmed up quite nicely by the afternoon after somewhat cooler temps prevailed throughout the first half of the day. A high pressure system is moving through the area so we should see skies clearing up with stable atmospheric conditions accompanied by calm little to no wind. We can expect temperatures to hang around the 60° mark for the next few days. It is currently 54° with humidity at 31% (has dropped significantly since this morning). Winds are still from the NE at 5 mph. Obviously the biggest story is coming from Texas, especially the Dallas area, where twisters have caused significant damage with winds strong enough to fling 18 wheeled semi trailers through the air like they were toys. Here is a video link from msnbc.com covering the topic. http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/03/11003782-tremendous-damage-as-twisters-tear-through-areas-near-dallas
Here is a blog entry from wunderground.com http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2066

This image details where precipitation is occurring and it appears the system is moving eastward across Arkansas and Louisiana.


This is an infrared image which shows cloud cover. Cooler areas such as clouds show up white whereas darker areas are warmer and show up gray. Big thunderstorm clouds like the ones involved in the system in the South are clearly visible and bright white as the clouds have grown massive in the troposphere.

4/2/2012

This morning started off pretty windy with winds still prevailing out of the east. We had partly cloudy skies all day with a variety of clouds including cirrus, stratus, and cumulus. The skies got a little dark for a bit but precipitation never occurred. It is currently 57°F with winds out of the east at 10 mph. A low pressure system will continue to move through the area tomorrow with warm temperatures which might spark a few isolated storms.